If it pleases, Your Honor, a dog enters the room.

Lleida"When will I see Nemo again?" a five-year-old girl asks, after having testified for a long time in a court appearance as a victim of abuse. Nemo is the name of a small Cavalier dog that accompanied her during the testimony while she answered questions from judges, prosecutors, and lawyers. Upon leaving, the girl didn't say anything to her mother about what she had been asked, nor about what she ended up answering about the alleged injuries. She just wanted to know if she would see Nemo again.

This is, according to experts, proof of the success of the new program that has been running in the Lleida district since last summer. A dozen minors and vulnerable individuals have already made use of this pioneering resource in Catalonia, which incorporates trained dogs into programs supporting forensic examinations—a recorded interrogation that aims to minimize the emotional and psychological effects on children and, at the same time, become pre-established evidence.

Obviously, the program is aimed at children who already like animals. In fact, the little girl who was with Nemo loves them. Her mother brought one home last summer so she and her twin sister could take on some responsibility at home and, at the same time, use it as therapy for their emotional issues.

Shortly before the appearance before the judge and the lawyers, the mother tried to avoid giving too much information so as not to distress them. "We're going to see some ladies and a dog," she announced. "Ladies," a term very familiar to the world of child education, referred to the people in charge (psychologists and social workers) of the home.team ofcriminal technical advice (EATP) who accompany the minors during these court sessions. And the dog was Nemo, a lure that served as a stimulus. "The approach was perfect for relaxing them," the mother says.

Petting a furry, affectionate dog while it rests its head on your lap is so simple and efficient that, according to experts, it allows for the maximum quantity and quality of a child's statements. The initiative came from Maylos Rodrigo, president of lIlerkan Association, a Lleida-based NGO that has been carrying out animal-assisted activities for all types of groups since 2014., especially in the healthcare and educational fields. And now, in the courts. According to Rodrigo, the use of trained dogs in judicial proceedings has been carried out in the United States since 1992. In the United Kingdom, there are also experiences and even scientific publications demonstrating positive results for victims and witnesses. In Madrid, explains the president of Ilerkan, they began using it in 2014 in family courts, and it is currently an established project in all types of investigations. So, why not in Catalonia?

It's still a slow process, but it also appears to be effective. "When something new comes up, you must first explain everything thoroughly so that participants can see that there may be some benefits," argues Rodrigo, who began his dog-assisted practice in 2008 in the healthcare field, where this methodology seems beyond doubt.

But as the saying goes, "with matters of the palace, it's better to sit back." This is confirmed by Enric Lletjós, coordinator of the EATP (National Prosecutor's Office) of the Department of Justice in Lleida, the first to open up to incorporating animals into judicial proceedings. So far, the resource has only been used ten times in the last six months. It seems like a small number, but it must be understood that, in addition to the approval of the minors and families, the approval of the judges is also necessary. And this, sometimes, is not easy.No, no, I just need the dog now!"Lletjós recalls a judge from Lleida saying when the idea was proposed to him at the program's inception. But little by little, the methodology has gained traction due to its proven effectiveness. When the Lleida EATP has a larger volume of cases executed, it will be able to prepare an evaluation report that can be presented to other judges.

It was a judge from Lleida who endorsed the project and provided technical arguments to justify it. Her name is Aurembiaix Giribet, who is familiar with Ilerkan for personal reasons. They began discussing it about it about two years ago, and the judge helped the association fill out the proposal with a significant number of legal arguments. "The feedback I'm receiving from my fellow judges about the experience is very positive. They assure me that it doesn't hinder the assistance in any way," Giribet explains. "On the contrary, the minor feels more comfortable, is calmer, and the interview proceeds much more smoothly."

Calm and stable animals

The profile of dogs for judicial examinations involving minors is very specific. They must be calm and stable animals, trained to wait as long as necessary. These dogs must be present during marathon question-and-answer sessions, and their presence must never distract the witness. Therefore, they must be relatively inactive, yet still quite affectionate when asked and willing to be petted at all times.

"My daughter answered most of the questions by looking at the dog she had on her lap," says Montserrat Alemany, the mother of Rut, a 26-year-old woman with a severe intellectual disability who had to testify in another case of injury and abuse. She did so alongside Neula, a Labradoodle who calmed her nerves from the first minute. "Before entering the courtroom, I was very scared, but everything changed when she met the dog," says the mother. "Having an animal to relax with, to touch and pet in such a hostile environment, seems like something from the 23rd century!" exclaims the mother, "and if it were in a more colorful and pleasant space, it would be amazing."

Only in the face of danger

Forensic examinations are moments of heightened stress for minors. Their parents cannot be present to prevent them from influencing their answers. In addition to being surrounded by strangers and observed through a camera or one-way glass, the children must answer questions related to a traumatic event. Until now, they were encouraged with games, stories, and drawings, resources that still exist, but now in Lleida, they are trying them out with dogs.

"All tools that ensure, with guarantees, that a minor feels calmer and more comfortable in court should be welcomed," asserts Judge Aurembiaix Giribet. Dogs help resolve difficult situations. "One of the girls wouldn't have entered the courtroom if it weren't for Nemo's presence," asserts Maylos Rodrigo.

Mothers are allowed to accompany their children for a while before the interrogation. This is the child's welcome moment to ease their inhibitions before the decisive moment. The statements made in these proceedings must be conducted with all possible safeguards so that they serve as definitive evidence and allow the child to avoid the oral trial. It is an attempt to avoid re-victimization. Therefore, the mother must wait behind the door. "The people who stay with the child are well trained in child care, and we guarantee a protected environment," judicial sources explain. However, it is difficult. "I would have liked to at least hear the questions they asked my girls, see how they reacted, know if they understood," admits the mother of the twins. "They are very young, I would have preferred to see them, even if it was through a screen," she concludes. But not even that. If they are not part of the court case, they cannot observe it. And if they are, their lawyers usually do so. These are the principles of a system that, a priori, aims to be fair. Never better said. "I wish at least the processes with the children were faster," the mother requests.